Belgian government mired in crisis over UN migration compact

The Belgian government could be brought down by a dispute about a UN migration compact, with parliament due to debate the issue on Wednesday after a key coalition partner threatened to walk out.

World leaders are due to endorse the UN Global Compact for Migration at a meeting in Marrakech next week. However, several states have already backed out of the non-binding accord, which aims to regulate migration.

In Belgium, the Flemish nationalist N-VA - a member of the government coalition - opposes the compact, which Prime Minister Charles Michel has pledged to sign. It has threatened to pull out of the coalition if he goes ahead.

After failing on Tuesday to resolve the dispute, Michel announced that he would ask parliament to weigh in. Most lawmakers are expected to back the compact.

"Whoever pulls the plug at a moment such as this is irresponsible," Michel told the RTL broadcaster on Wednesday, adding that the ball was in the court of the N-VA.

However, the N-VA's parliamentary leader, Peter De Roover, said the legislature's vote would not be binding.

"This government will not go to Marrakech to sign the pact," he told the RTBF broadcaster, noting that the decision needed to be taken jointly.

Disagreement over the migration compact has also shaken other European governments. Last week, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak tendered his resignation after his country rejected the accord.

Hungary, Austria, Italy, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Poland and Switzerland have all publicly rejected the agreement.